Improvement in car-couplings



I. H. LANDS.

CAR-COUPLINGS.

No.175, 358. Patented'March 28,1876.

N4 PETERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON, D c.

GUNI'TED STATES PATENT O FICE.

JOHN H. LANDS, OF RIEGELSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

' IMPROVEMENT IN CARI-COUPLINGS.

Specification'forming part of Letters Patent No. 175,358, dated March 28, 1876; application filed I March 6, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. LANDS, of Riegelsville, in the county of Bucks and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved (Jar-Coupling, of which the followin g is a specification:

ln the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents an end view, and Fig. 2 a side elevation, of my improved car-coupling.

'. Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

My invention relates to an improved automatic car-coupling; and it consists of a pivoted link that is raised from the top side or platform of the car by a laterally-swinging link-frame, which is retained in position by a sliding guard-piece with front plate until the latter is pushed back on the approach of the car to be coupled, so as to drop the link over a coupling-hook.

In the drawing, Arepresents the couplinglink, which is pivoted to a stationary hook, B, on which the link of the connecting-car drops for coupling. The pivoted coupling-link A is raised by a laterally-swinging guide frame or hook, O, that engages by a spur or arm, a, the link being operated by chain or rope con nection with a suitable crank-lever, D, at the top, side, or platform of the car. The link frame 0 is fulcrumed to a projecting or bufl'er' part of the car, and retained in raised position by a sliding guard-piece, E, that is pushed by a second lever, D, forward over the rear arm of link-frame G. The guard-piece E moves in a slot of the car-frame and passes with its lower end in forward direction through the same, having a front plate, E,that is seated in arecess of the projecting car-frame when the guard-piece is not in contact'with the link-frame, but which projects forward be- .yond the car-frame when the guard-piece is pushed forward to secure the link-frame in raised position for coupling. When the approaching car comes in contact with the front plate the guard-piece is pushed back and the link-frame and link are instantly dropped, so that the link is thrown over the coupling-hook B of the adjoining car, and thereby the cars coupled. For uncoupling, the link is swung up again by the top lever, forming a readilyoperated,-simple, and reliable cogpling;

Having thus described my infvention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination of a swinging couplinglink, pivoted to stationary coupling-hook of the car-frame, with a laterally-swinging linkframe and retaining guard-piece, sliding over rear arm of link-frame to hold link in raised position for coupling, substantially in the manner set forth. I

2. The forward sliding bent guard-piece, passing by upper end over rear arm of linkt'rame, and having a front plate at lower end to release link-frame by contact with approaching car, substantially as set forth.

JOHN H. LANDS.

Witnesses:

JOHN M. EARNST, WILLIAM B. SHIMER. 

